The Billionaire's Voice (The Sinclairs #4)

by J. S. Scott

  “I might do that first,” Tessa answered, winking at her friend before she strode toward the door determinedly.

  She had butterflies in her stomach as she left Randi’s house, but she wasn’t going to let anything stop her now. If there was a chance that she had hurt Micah, she was going to find out. Her feelings be damned.

  Tessa could live with her pain, but the possibility of being the source of Micah’s was more than she could bear.

  CHAPTER 21

  If Tessa had been in her right mind, she probably would have been awed by the luxury of Jared’s private jet. It was definitely plush, with every convenience and every bit of comfort she could ever imagine.

  Maybe if she’d been thinking properly, she also wouldn’t have let Homer sit on one of the velvet seats, because he left dog hair everywhere. The attendant had told her it would be fine and she’d take care of it, but Tessa was a cleaner, and she hated making extra work for other people.

  Unfortunately, her socially appropriate meter wasn’t running, and she’d simply nodded and made her way to the car that Evan had sent to pick her up and take her to Micah’s residence.

  Once there, she stood on the sidewalk with Homer sitting by her side, her knuckles turning white from her grip on the suitcase handle.

  I have to text him.

  She looked up, and up, and then up some more. It wasn’t even possible to see the floor where Micah made his home. The enormous, modern building had more stories than were even visible from the ground.

  I can’t just stand here forever.

  The sun was starting to set, and she was being jostled by crowds coming from every direction. Stepping into a corner of the building by the entrance to keep out of the stream of human traffic, she dug her cell phone from her purse.

  She sent the text determinedly.

  Tessa: I need to talk to you. Please answer me.

  She pressed the “Send” button and waited. It took him several tense minutes to answer.

  Micah: I’m in New York and we’ve already said our goodbyes. What more is there to say?

  Tessa: I never said goodbye and I have a lot to say. Can I come up, please?

  Micah: You’re here?

  Tessa: Yes.

  Micah: You came to New York City alone?

  Tessa: No. I have Homer.

  Micah: Alone! Wait right there. Don’t move.

  Tessa smiled, feeling her courage beginning to return as she realized he was worried about her being alone in the city.

  She felt a light touch on her arm and she looked up to see the immaculately dressed doorman beside her. “Ms. Sullivan?” he asked, his expression polite.

  “Yes.”

  “Mr. Sinclair asked me to see you inside.”

  She followed him, Homer on her heels.

  She was led to what she assumed was a private elevator and stepped inside. The doorman pressed one of the buttons and gave her a dignified wave as he said, “Have a good evening, ma’am.”

  “You too,” she squeaked out before the doors closed.

  Fidgeting nervously, she watched as the elevator climbed, the numbers lighting up as it hit each floor. It didn’t stop to pick up passengers, so she surmised that it was some kind of express elevator to the top. Her stomach dropped as it finally came to a stop.

  The doors whooshed open, and right beyond the doors stood one of the best sights she’d seen in a long time.

  Micah!

  The only downside to having him right in front of her was that he looked angry. Really angry.

  “What in fuck are you doing here? The performance isn’t until next week, and you shouldn’t be traveling to New York City alone.” He reached out and grabbed her suitcase and then her hand, dragging her down the hallways until they reached the door to his residence.

  He had a five-o’clock shadow that might have been a little more like six-o’clock instead. His feet were bare, and he had on a pair of worn jeans and a T-shirt that looked like it had been washed one too many times. Any trace of his usual humor had fled, and he dragged her into his penthouse and forcefully shut the door behind him.

  “Talk,” he demanded as he faced her. “You have something to say, then say it so I can get your ass back on my plane and make damn sure you get home safe.”

  She turned away from him and walked into the massive residence. The living room was right in front of her, so she took off the light jacket she was wearing and sat down on the couch.

  Homer wagged his tail excitedly, nudging Micah for affection. The angry man patted the dog’s head absently before walking over to stand beside the couch. “Comfortable?” His expression was wary and still pissed off.

  “Yes, thank you,” she answered politely, treading carefully.

  “What do you want, Tessa?”

  She held up her wrist. “What does the bracelet mean?”

  “It really doesn’t matter anymore.”

  “It matters to me,” she argued.

  “Why?”

  “Because I love you,” she blurted out, her heart racing as she lowered her arm. “I love you so much that I can’t eat, I can’t sleep, and I miss you more every minute that I’m not with you. I was hoping the heart on the bracelet meant something. I got to hoping it might mean that you wanted my heart someday. I came to tell you that you already have it. I think you have almost from the time we met.”

  The look on his face was brooding and cautious. “You fucking wanted me to leave.”

  She shook her head. “No. I didn’t. I thought you wanted to go and I didn’t want to hold you back. We both pretty much knew this was supposed to be a fling when it started, that we had to enjoy each other without getting attached. I knew the rules, but I also knew if you stayed much longer, I’d be begging you to stay forever, and you’d just feel worse about us parting. I never wanted you to go.”

  “Jesus Christ, Tessa. I can’t do this.” He turned his back and walked over to pour himself a drink.

  Don’t give up. Don’t give up.

  There weren’t going to be any more misunderstandings. If he was going to reject her, he was going to do it completely.

  She stood and started to remove her clothes, quickly dispensing of her shoes, her yoga pants, and underwear, and easily lifting her shirt over her head to add to the growing pile of clothing on the plush carpet. She finished with the bra she was wearing, standing in his living room completely naked.

  When he finally turned, he dropped the glass of Scotch he’d just poured on the floor with a roar. “What in the hell are you doing now?”

  “I’m prepared to seduce you,” she warned him. “But mostly I’m standing here bared to you completely. If you don’t want me in your life, tell me directly, make me leave.” She took a deep breath but didn’t move. “I’m laying everything on the line right now, Micah. I love you more than I ever could imagine loving a man. You make me strong when I feel weak. You accept me just the way that I am. You make me a better person. My heart is yours. Take me or leave me. The choice is yours. I’ve already chosen you above anything else: hurt, pride, and fear.”

  She saw his big body shudder, then walk toward her, avoiding the glass on the floor. When he reached her, he put a hand on either side of her head. “You’re a hell of a lot braver than I am. I ran from the house without explaining because I couldn’t. I should have gone back, told you how I felt, but I was too damn destroyed, too worried about my own fucking heart. Oh, hell, yes, I love you. I love you more than it’s healthy to love anybody. Every part of me craves you, Tessa: heart, body, and soul. Can you handle that? The way I feel about you won’t make me an easy man to love.”

  She nodded as well as she could with him keeping her head still. “Quite easily. I love you the same way.”

  “How the fuck did this happen? You’re never leaving me again,” he demanded.

  “You left me,” she reminded him.

  “Yeah, well, it’s not happening again, because I don’t plan on letting you go. The heart on the bracel
et wasn’t your heart, it was mine. I was hoping you’d get the hint that you had it.”

  “And the rose?”

  “You’ll figure that out soon enough.”

  “I love you,” she whispered, her voice failing her as she looked into his ferocious eyes.

  “I love you, too, sweetheart. You’re mine. You were always meant to be mine. I feel it here.” He moved one hand from her head to put it on his chest.

  “I’m so sorry I hurt you,” Tessa sobbed, her emotions out of control.

  “Don’t cry, Tessa. Please.”

  “I can’t help it.” She gulped, trying to contain her sobs of joy.

  “Then I guess we need a distraction.” He picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder, carrying her into a massive bedroom on the ground floor.

  He dropped her gently on the bed and closed the door, and Tessa watched him in awe as he took off his clothes. Heat flooded between her thighs as he pulled the old T-shirt over his head, and she watched every muscle in his upper body flex.

  As he tossed the garment to the floor, he said, “You didn’t have to come here.” He nodded to an overnight bag by the window of the bedroom. “I was coming back to Maine in the morning. I was willing to seduce you, too. I was ready to try anything to get you to stay with me.”

  Tessa’s heart started to accelerate. “You were coming for me?”

  “Yep. I kept trying to talk myself out of it, but I knew I was going to cave.”

  “I’m glad I came here. I wanted to tell you how much I loved you.”

  “I’m damn happy you did, too. I don’t think I can keep getting myself off to fantasies of us together anymore. It’s not helping.” He popped the buttons on his jeans and pushed them down his legs, along with his boxer briefs. “I needed the real thing.”

  Tessa sighed as she viewed Micah in all his glory. Then, she held her arms out to him. “Come to me. I need you so much.”

  He strode to the bed and crawled after her like a stalking predator, his eyes dark and possessive.

  This was obviously going to be on his terms, and Tessa was okay with that. Mutual need was about to consume them both.

  He bodily lifted her up and dropped her down so her head hit the pillow, then he spread her legs and positioned himself between them. “I need to make you come, baby. Hard.”

  Before she could protest, his head was between her thighs, his wicked tongue stroking through her folds boldly, and Tessa let out a squeal of surprise. He devoured her like he hadn’t had sustenance in weeks, using his mouth, nose, and tongue to consume her.

  “Micah. Oh, God. Please. Fuck me now.” She was desperate to have him buried inside her.

  He ignored her, continuing to feast on her pussy until Tessa was thrashing on the bed, her hands gripping the silken coverlet.

  She moaned as he slammed two fingers into her channel, using the digits to mimic what he planned on doing to her very shortly with his cock.

  Tessa fisted his hair, jerking violently on the strands to pull him deeper, closer, her entire body quivering with ecstasy. This was no gentle climax approaching; it was a tidal wave of pent-up need that had been haunting her night and day since she’d last seen Micah.

  Suddenly, he lifted his head and covered her body with his. “Next time, baby. Right now, we come together.”

  Her body hot and frustrated, she wrapped her legs around his hips as he plunged deep inside her, dragging a moan from her lips.

  “You’re mine, Tessa. Say it,” he commanded, his face tense with fierce desire.

  “I’m yours. I’ll always be yours, Micah.” She was panting as he pumped hard and fast into her slick sheath like a man possessed.

  “Jesus, you feel so damn good, sweetheart,” he told her right before he kissed her, claiming her lips with just as much fervor as he was claiming the rest of her body.

  Their tongues dueled as their bodies were screaming toward release. Tessa met his marauding tongue stroke for stroke, and his invading cock with every pump of his hips.

  She felt consumed, claimed, and loved.

  “Micah. I can’t hold it back.” Her impending orgasm was so strong it was already pounding through her belly and to her core.

  “Don’t hold back. Let go. I’ll be here to catch you when you fall,” Micah replied, his mouth running fiercely over the skin at her neck, then finally biting hard enough to leave a mark.

  Tessa’s back arched from the pleasurable pain of his bite, a carnal act that she was sure he’d apologize for later, but seemed so natural during their desperate coupling.

  Her fingernails tore into his back, Tessa feeling just as feral as Micah as her climax ripped through her. She screamed as the orgasm went on and on, watching Micah’s face as he finally spilt his warm release deep inside her.

  Rolling to her side, he gathered her into his arms, sheltering her, protecting her.

  “I love you.” The words burst from her mouth as she shivered with the lingering bliss of her climax.

  Micah kissed her tenderly before replying, “I love you, too.” He kissed her forehead gently.

  They fell asleep a few moments later, their exhaustion both mental and physical.

  Tessa sighed as she succumbed to slumber, knowing her life would never be the same.

  It would be much, much better.

  CHAPTER 22

  “You look beautiful, baby. Are you nervous?”

  Tessa adjusted the gorgeous skating ensemble she was wearing, knowing it was the most elegant performance costume she’d ever owned. The bright red was bold, and the elegant gold embellishments were classic. She was wearing her favorite tan custom skates to complement the outfit.

  She smiled at Micah. “Surprisingly, I’m not at all. I guess the atmosphere feels normal to me.” She stopped as she fingered her bracelet. “I wonder if I should take this off.”

  The jewelry was delicate, and wouldn’t interfere with her skating. But she didn’t want to lose it.

  “Leave it. It has a strong safety clasp, and I’ll buy you something else if it falls off.”

  Since she loved the comforting feel of knowing she was wearing something Micah had given her, she left it on. But she wasn’t as nonchalant as he was at the thought of losing it. “It’s almost time.”

  Earlier in the week, Micah had managed to get her ice time at the same stadium they were in right now. It had given her an opportunity to keep running through her routine. She was nowhere near the Olympic-champion-level skater she’d been almost a decade ago, but she was also older, pretty much over the hill for a female figure skater. She smiled, knowing that for an old lady figure skater, she could pull off a respectable performance.

  The last several days hadn’t been all practice. Once they’d finally gotten out of bed, Micah had taken her to see the sights: the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, and the 9/11 Memorial had been their first stops, Micah teasingly saying he felt like a tourist instead of an actual New Yorker. She’d let him feed her junk food from some of his favorite places to eat; the most memorable were Coney dogs from a street vendor.

  In so many ways, it had been a magical week. Not only had she enjoyed her trip to New York immensely, but she’d been able to share all of those things with Micah.

  “Ready?” he asked, looking more nervous than she was.

  She reached for his hand and nodded, leading him toward the exit of the small preparation room.

  She couldn’t hear the madness of the crowd as they approached the area where she’d wait her turn, but she knew it was probably loud. People were screaming from the stands, standing up every time the skater on the ice landed a jump.

  Knowing she was up next, she took the covers off her blades, smiling as she saw so many of her friends sitting in the front row. She bent down to hug each one of them. All of the Sinclairs were present with their wives. Jason and Hope also had a front-row seat beside Liam, the chair next to her brother sadly empty, even though Tessa knew that Micah had given her brother two tickets.<
br />
  Beatrice and Elsie had Julian between them, Micah’s brother having no choice but to listen to them.

  “Beatrice, I think you can have these back now,” Micah told the elderly woman as Tessa hugged her.

  Beatrice blinked at him in surprise as she held out her hand to receive the two Apache tear stones from his hand. “Why, yes. It does look like you two don’t need them anymore.” She winked knowingly at Micah, and he smiled back at her.

  Beatrice promptly gave one of the rocks to Julian, then reached across him to give the other one to Kristin. “I think they’re going to the right place now.”

  Tessa looked at Micah, then watched the expressions of horror on Julian’s and Kristin’s faces as they tried to give the stones back to Beatrice. She was having none of it, so they both put the rocks in their pockets without looking at each other.

  Julian and . . . Kristin?

  Tessa thought they were an unlikely pair, since they didn’t even get along, but no more unusual than her and Micah. She was learning to respect Beatrice’s wisdom without questioning it anymore. Really, she almost wished the elderly woman had given one of those stones to Liam, but she guessed that it still wasn’t his time.

  She took a deep breath before she walked to the door that led out to the ice.

  “Everything will be fine, Tessa,” Micah said, carefully tugging her head back using the French braid that had been carefully crafted not long ago.

  Micah kissed her, careful not to mess up her hair or smudge her makeup.

  When they surfaced, she replied, “I know it will be. Everything I do, every move I make during the performance, I’m doing for you.”

  This skate would be a celebration of the happiness she’d found with Micah. Maybe they hadn’t figured everything out, but it didn’t matter.

  “That’s your cue, sweetheart.” Micah nodded subtly at the ice.